Roots

""We had such a memorable time!! the service was unassuming like being served by your younger siblings, a homey feeling, then the food came.. wow this is a defiantly grown up food. The only reason I am reviewing is that we had two younger dinners with us 9 year girl old and the boy “a hard 12” grumpy kids and so over the vacation thing. Before we ordered, from the kitchen came won tons with three sauces. Now the kids are eating quietly thank you god!! Then came the tater tots “three sauses” finished with a mac an cheese, kid are full and happy and out for the night. Now the misses and myself can sneak out and dance!! Much appreciation to all at roots!!! You made our night!!!"" \r Pros: Good food Cons: Hotel lobby more

I took an important client here for a blah blah business meeting, thinking after the stress of the meeting we could relax, get some good SF eats and have time to talk about future plans.\r \r Well we had time to talk alright...\r - took 40 min. to get sandwiches to our table (restaurant almost empty)\r -stoner waiter brought fries out almost 1/2 hour after lunch was over\r -better sandwiches as Lee's downtown for under $5- not saying Lee's is good just better\r -order of scallops was so well cooked, restaurant has invented the ""raisined"" scallop, those little puppies were like rubber ducks when kitchen done with them\r -interior bland\r -food bland\r -service great if you've got Alzheimers or severe ADD\r ...and like to waste your dining dollars.\r \r I'd come back here for lunch or dinner if I was too wasted to walk any further uphill on this street. to Vignette or Masa's. Even you stumbled downhill to the Subway you'd get a better meal and a little color in the restaurant.\r \r This lil restaurant has NOTHING going for it except location. more

I was really hoping that we could add Roots to our list of frequent organic dining restaurants. After giving it a second chance, I have to say that I would not eat there again. The dining room is unappealing, the food is not very fresh and the service is below average. When you walk in the front door from the busy street you can go to the hotel front desk on the left or the restaurant on the right - there is no door or formal entry way. The space should really be the hotel lobby and not a formal restaurant. Both times we ate at Roots the dining room was fairly empty (three other tables and one person at the bar). To be fair, we do really enjoy the french fries and fried artichokes and if you go between 5-7pm you can order a wine for around $9-$12 and get a free appetizer for around $6-$8. BUT, the bread is stale, the Grilled Tofu tastes like a salt lick, the snap peas were overcooked/mushy, and the Fettucini- Chicken- Artichokes was extremely bland and overcooked (the chicken was not fresh nor were the English peas). The table next to us had scallops and a fish dish that both smelled extremely fishy in a not so good way. Our server was overwhelmed taking care of three tables at a time, messed up our order and really lacked the skills to serve customers. The host was very friendly but he had a blotchy face (rash like) and sniffled as he wiped his nose and then handed us our menus and wine. The chef should try to get some honest feedback from customers on the food and service to help this restaurant live up to its potential. Pros: Fried Appetizers Cons: Main Dishes, Service, Ambience more

I was suprprised to see this listed as having a grand opening as we went there last fall for my birthday.. Wanted to support the Green movement.\r \r The place seemed sort of like an after thought-not a real restaurant. ( I get the Ikea analogy) The waiter wwas super nice and just like the previous writer said- the apps were great. Try the fries! Fantastic. Salads etc. Great drinks too! THE came the main course: UGH! AUGH!\r \r NO FLAVOR.. Pretty unbelievable really.. Usually I would just let it go but it was inedible so I asked to speak to the manager as they should know. Two out of three of us had worked in restaurants before and know this can sink a place. The manager neer came out but they did comp that dish.. My suggestion for the place is 1) taste what they cook before sending it out! 2) put a screen or some kind of room divider up so you don't feel like you are eating in a small hotel lobby. Kudos to the attitudes of the service- they were great- friendly etc.. We wanted to support a green restaurant - hope they get it together. Pros: Good if you just want drinks and apps Cons: Main courses more

My girlfriend an I love going to trendy restaurants and this place was no exception. It was reminiscent of the store IKEA with bleach wood everywhere and beige with accents of dark brass. Its very pretty but pretty small as well. There are only 15 tables in the whole place and most only seat two. The bread served to snack on before the meal with an olive smear was great and the salads were incredibly tasty. (we had the asparagus salad, and the arugala salad, delicious!) However the main course left something to be desired, mainly taste. I had chicken with peas and pureed potatoes. My girlfriend had sea scallops with grits and a dark sauce. Both were bland and definitely left us wishing we had stuck to the appetizers. The whole meal was around 70 and not worth the money. Pros: Great appetizers and atmosphere Cons: Food not that good more

We found that Darrin or bartender remembered us from or last visit and was glad to see us. He was funny and professional and with great bartending skills. Thanks Darrin for taking care of us more

I bring my associates here on a regular basis and always find the restaurant clean and tidy. The menu is very good with lots of choices. Something for everyone. It's a great place for a casual business meeting and the staff is very hospitable and give good service. more

I've eaten here twice now and both times were horrible. The food is bland at best and all tastes the same, the \r atmosphere is seriously lacking and the wait staff is not helpful at all. I should have guessed when both times I went were on Saturday night and the place was less than half full. The only reason I'm giving one star is because the first time we ate here the ""Manager"", Fritz, was so wasted that at least we got a few laughs. Do not waste your time or money on this place. more

we've spent a few days in san francisco and were starting to wonder where all the good food was. well, roots is a great start! not only is the food amazing, it's organic. also, the waiter had great recommendations on where to go in the area. delish! Pros: location, staff, food, everything! Cons: nothing more

I have been to Roots now a few times and have had a great experience each visit. I first went because they offered a great happy hour special (buy a drink and get a free appetizer). I had an amazing tuna tartare and since I eat ahi at any restaurant I can find it, I can tell you, this one is fantastic!!! On my other visits, I decided to try the dinner menu. Both times I have had great meals. The salads are wonderful, as are the soups. And the main courses were also great. I had a filet special one night that was incredible! The next visit I had a halibut that was also delicious. I really like that they only use organic meats and produce too. It makes everything so much tastier.\r \r If you go in just for drinks, make sure to try the spicy almonds. They are absolutely addicting! Yes, they make you want to drink more, but since the bartender is so cool, it is a nice place to spend some time. The other patrons seem to be guests of the hotel, but even they have been friendly and I've found myself there for hours at a time when I only planned on going in for one drink.\r \r The manager is super friendly and makes sure everyone is happy. He goes out of his way to be nice and make everyone feel ""at home"". Both of my servers were also knowledgable and friendly. Even the doorman and front desk guy were really cool and friendly. All in all, the staff is just great and unassuming.\r \r I have to disagree with the other reviewer about the music. It isn't great jazz, but cheezy muzac elevator music. The first time I was there for drinks, it was funky-ish club beats. The other times I have been there, it has been horrible music. Luckily it isn't too loud so you can ignore it when sitting at the bar. \r \r I would highly recommend you try Roots! Locals really should find out about this place and check it out. I also disagree with the price rating. I would only give it 2 $$, not 3. Go check it out for yourself. You will not be sorry! more

The entire experience was great; Chef Russell came out and dicussed the menu and made reccommendations. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and was a delight through out the evening. She sold me a desert when I was too full to eat it. The coconut carmel is to die for, althought the chocolate tart looked sinful. The over all ambience of roots was inviting, comfortable and unrushed. I would reccomend this as a must do in San Francisco. Pros: Food, ambience and service Cons: parking more

At first I was a bit skeptical about the whole concept...environmentally conscious / green / organic...so much has been made of it lately. But, after I tried it, I have to say, Roots is REALLY GOOD!!!\r Drinks: Have a Martini. the Zentini is incredible. Trevor is a great bartender. Full of stories, very educated, always teaching, it seems. With dinner, have an organic Zinfandel from the Foothills. Totally not what you'd buy in a store - and so worth trying!\r Soup: Different soup every night, I think. Made from scratch. I tried the French Onion Soup (very tasty).\r Salad: Endive/Smoked Trout. Sooooo good!!! The warm spinach and tofy salad with spicy almonds was perfect for my partner. Would order both again.\r Main course: OK - you HAVE TO HAVE the Flat Iron Steak. Better than a Filet Mignon, I swear. The coriander-crusted Ahi was awesome, too. \r Dessert: Ask for the chocolate tart. If they have the chocolate bread pudding, take that, too. Unbelievable!!!\r The decor: Lots of cream and green. Very ""Zen"". Some live plants, and some very cool wrought iron (bronze?) artwork. Nice jazz music in the background.\r Staff: Trevor was outstanding. So was Fritz. Short guy with a great smile! Very entertaining. Adrienne also helped at our table. Super nice. And, last but not least, Chef Russell Rummer came out on numerous occasions. Loved his demeanor (calm and humble) as much as his food.\r I'd go back in a heartbeat... Pros: Thumbs up for sure! Food is outstanding; Service is terriffic; wine list is fun Cons: Parking (valet or Sutter Stockton Garage) more